ONLINE: Food Systems Innovations during COVID-19

media release: Join the UW-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies, the UW-Madison UniverCity Alliance, and an inspiring panel from food systems efforts across Wisconsin as we explore "Food Systems Innovations during COVID-19".  The global pandemic brought forth challenges and opportunities related to food access and distribution, equitable and local food systems, service industry business models, and more!  Through the disruption, valuable innovations emerged which continue to change our food landscape.  Our CommUniversity Panel will share about interventions and innovations they helped to shape in Wisconsin communities during COVID-19 and how these efforts will continue to shape our food systems and communities into the future. All are welcome!

Meet our Panelists!

Mariela Quesada Centeno is a Ph.D. student in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to being a scholar, she is also a Maternal and Child Health Research Fellow at Centro Hispano of Dane County and Roots 4 Change Cooperative’s manager- the first woman- and immigrant-owned cooperative in Wisconsin. Her professional and personal interests have always focused on understanding the interactions between animal and human health and the role race, gender, and the built environment play in community development. As such, she not only earned her DVM degree at the Universidad Nacional in Heredia, Costa Rica, but after immigrating to the U.S., also earned her Master’s in Public Health at UW-Madison with a Certificate in Global Health.

Helen Sarakinos is the executive director of REAP Food Group whose mission is to transform communities, economies, and lives through the power of good food. Helen is a seasoned advocate and organizer for issues that impact our community’s kids, citizens, food, and water. As a program and Policy Director of River Alliance of Wisconsin for 15 years, she worked with residents, businesses, farmers, municipalities and legislators across the state to protect access to clean water and to ensure citizens have a say in decisions about how to use it. Helen received her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from McGill University in Montreal.

Francesca Hong is a chef, community organizer, and member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Francesca brings years of combined front of the house and kitchen experience to her restaurant, Morris Ramen. She was one of the youngest female executive chefs in Madison while at 43 North. Her resume also includes some of Madison’s premier restaurants—Magnus, Graze, and Restaurant Muramoto. While visiting her husband Matt Morris in Japan, she learned to love and appreciate the spirit of ramen — more than just the flavors — the devotion to guests and time-honored cooking techniques.

FL Morris is an Organic Farmer and Delivery Driver and Board Treasurer for Community Kitchen Co-op. She has spent her career in small scale, direct market diversified vegetable and livestock production only to discover product must be taken far distances to meet sales goals and in some cases, simply to break even. When a farmer is moving product long distances into urban areas, they are often forced to sell into more affluent markets and have very little capacity to serve local or low-income markets - much less participate in their equitable development. Community Kitchen is a collective attempt to solve issues we face as both local food farmers and as eaters in our community - food access and fair markets for producers do not need to be mutually exclusive, and together we will find a way to make this mission a reality.

Lewis Kuhlman is an Environmental Sustainability Planner at the City of La Crosse Planning and Development Department. He is an urban planner with a passion for the environment, biking and walking, and creating complete compact communities. He also enjoys making music, watching movies, and reading books.

Jack Zabrowski is an Associate Planner at the City of La Crosse Planning and Development Department focusing on issues related to health. He is currently working to update the City of La Crosse Safe Routes to School Plan, serves as the Secretary of the City of La Crosse Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and collaborates with the local AARP affiliate to create a more livable community for citizens 8 to 80 years old.